When God created man, what was the effect upon the
host of heaven who observed the creation? ¶ 37.

What is the first string upon the divine harp? ¶ 38.

Does the revelation of this string cause rejoicing?
and if so, by whom? ¶ 38.

Who is light and without darkness? ¶ 38.

Has God ever created an imperfect creature? ¶ 38.

What is the disposition of God’s creatures while
in harmony with him? ¶ 38.

What was the condition in Eden when man was created?
¶ 38.

[Illustration]

CHAPTER III

String 2: Justice Manifested

One of the divine attributes is justice. “Justice
and judgment are the habitation of thy throne.”
(Psalm 89:14) Divine wisdom devised the great divine
program or plan. Divine justice must perform its
part in harmony with the other divine attributes.
God’s law must be unchangeable. Being unchangeable,
his creatures can have absolute confidence and faith
in him, that he always does exactly as he says.
A violation of Jehovah’s law must be followed
by punishment in the exercise of justice. The
prerogative of justice is to see that the law is enforced.
The manifestation of justice magnifies the name and
the dignity of Jehovah. Without the manifestation
of justice it would have been impossible for Jehovah
so fully to manifest his love toward man in providing
for his redemption and subsequent blessing. When
one understands the office of justice and why it was
manifested, he rejoices. A failure to understand
and appreciate the divine attributes makes it impossible
for one properly to appreciate Jehovah’s goodness
and loving kindness to mankind. Jehovah is too
good to be unjust. He is too wise to make a mistake;
he is too loving to be unkind; and his power is always
exercised in such a way that ultimate good may result.

[40]The manifestation of justice is one of the strings
upon the harp of God; but we must see and appreciate
it in order to understand the beauty and harmony it
brings when used in connection with the other springs.

[41]Good and evil are antagonistic principles or rules
of action. Good is the law or rule of action
by which God is always governed. Evil becomes
active only when some creature of Jehovah violates
his law. God made man a free moral agent.
He did not compel him to do or not to do certain things.
He told man that if he did certain things he would
be blessed; and that if he did other things contrary
to divine law he would suffer punishment; and the
punishment prescribed was death. Mother Eve was
deceived by Satan, the devil, and thereby induced to
violate the law of God. Father Adam, seeing that
his companion and helpmate had violated the law and
judging that she must die, preferred to join her in
the transgression and die with her. (1 Timothy 2:14)
It will be of interest here to examine the circumstances
leading up to the violation of the law of God and
to see why his justice toward man was manifested in
sentencing him to death.